Natural Health and Herbal Remedies Blog – information on herbal medicine

In the performance of analytical studies epidemiologists move from the demanding chores of collecting accurate information into the realms of designing studies that seek to answer important individual questions about the causes of cancer. In this area they will usually have an idea to test – a hypothesis about some possible causative factor. The focus shifts from whole nations or whole regions to a much more closely defined group of individuals. By collecting a great deal more information about a rather smaller number of people (but not so small that our conclusions might be based on pure chance), it is possible not only to demonstrate links between particular factors and particular cancers but also to look carefully to see if there are any possible alternative links which have to be considered or excluded by careful work. A number of methods of performing analytical epidemiology are recognized and are worth mentioning to give the general flavour of this sort of work: cohort studies, case-control studies and intervention or experimental studies.
Case-control Studies. In this method the group of people about whom information is collected are those who are already suffering from the particular cancer. They are then matched to another group of people who do not have the cancer but who are similar in other aspects such as age, sex and often social group. The group of patients with the cancer (the cases) are then compared to the group who do not have the cancer (the controls) in terms of their previous exposures to all sorts of factors. If the cases have had more exposure to a particular factor than the controls, it suggests that that particular factor is linked to the cancer. Again, it sounds easy bur collecting the information is a laborious task and choosing controls is full of pitfalls. If the groups are not properly matched then misleading links can be suggested. A particular pitfall is choosing groups of people when they come to hospital. Hospital-based control groups may be very unrepresentative of the general population.
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Shortness of breath accompanied by cough is a very common symptom of cancer, especially lung cancer. Bronchogenic tumours may also cause shortness of breath or cough resulting from partial or complete blockage of an airway.
Natural Remedies: The use of honey is considered valuable in treating shortness of breath. It is said that if a jug of honey is held under the nose of a person suffering from shortness of breath and he inhales the air that comes into contact with the honey, he starts breathing easily and deeply. The effect lasts for about an hour or so. This is because honey contains a mixture of ‘higher’ alcohol and ethereal oils and the vapours given off by them are beneficial and soothing. Honey, eaten or taken either in milk or water, will also be beneficial in shortness of breath. Relief from cough can be obtained by use of grapes. They tone up the lungs. A cup of grape juice mixed with a teaspoon of honey can be taken with beneficial results in treating this condition.
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The hip bath is one of the most useful forms of hydrotherapy. As the name suggests, this mode of treatment involves only the hips and the abdominal region below the navel. A special type of tub is used for the purpose. The tub is filled with water in a way that it covers the hips and reaches up to the navel when the patient sits in it. Generally, four to six gallons of water is required. If the special tub is not available, a common tub may be used. A support may be placed under one edge to elevate it by two to three inches.
The water temperature should be 10°C to 18°C. The duration of the bath is usually 10 minutes. The weak patients should, however, take this bath for duration of five minutes or so. If the patient feels cold, a hot foot immersion should be given with the cold hip bath. The legs should be so adjusted that there is no pressure upon the muscles, ligaments and blood vessels of the knee region.
The patient should rub the abdomen briskly from the navel downwards and across the body with a moderately coarse wet cloth. The legs, feet and upper part of the body should remain completely dry during and after the bath. The patient should undertake moderate exercise after the cold hip bath to warm the body. A cold hip bath is very useful in all diseases, including cancer. It relieves constipation, indigestion and obesity and helps the eliminative organs to function properly. It thus relieves many symptoms of cancer and boosts the immune system for healing.
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There are many facets to the relationship between diet and cancer. We have to consider whether people’s food intake is an important factor in determining their risk of getting cancer of any kind. This is perhaps the primary question and it is the one upon which we will concentrate in this book. There are, however, other questions, and the second is whether altering the diet once a patient is diagnosed as having cancer will affect the outcome. The third question is whether altering diet during the period of treatment of cancer can improve a patient’s well-being and quality of life. The three questions have to be tackled separately. Factors influencing cancer causation are unlikely to be the same as those that influence either the progression of the disease once it is established or the patient’s well-being during treatment.
Although we shall concentrate on diet as a possible cause of cancer, it is worth making a few comments on the relationship between diet on the one hand and the progress of an established cancer and the patient’s well-being during treatment for that cancer on the Other hand. It is clear from a wealth of clinical experience that patients who pay careful attention to their diet feel better during treatment for their cancer and that they gain a great deal of satisfaction from the control that this gives them over at least one very important aspect of their lives. The quality of their lives is better when they ensure a balanced intake of protein and calories (often with vitamin supplements) once cancer is established and once they are undergoing treatments. To this extent diet is an important element in the management of the illness. However, although quite a lot of research work has been done on this topic and very many claims have been made, there is no good evidence that major modifications of diet will lead to people living longer, This is a controversial subject because of its implications for practitioners of ‘alternative medicine’, who sometimes advocate relatively extreme diets. It is not the purpose of this chapter to enter that controversy – our focus is on prevention.
The relationship between cancer cause, cancer prevention and diet is in itself pretty controversial. Great excitement has been generated by a number of experimental observations, and many people hold strong views on this topic. It seems very reasonable to speculate that diet will be an important determinant of cancer because it is such a large part of our environment Through our diet we take In complex mixtures, and consume literally thousands of chemicals every day. Some of these are well known and well characterized scientifically and others are not so fully understood. Many of the important cancers occur in the gastro-intestinal tract which involves tissues extending from the mouth through the gullet (oesophagus), stomach, small intestine and large intestine to the rectum. These tissues, with the exception of the small intestine, are prone to cancers and it does seem likely that the food with which they have continuous contact is likely to be an element in causing these cancers.
It is a great leap from this theory to any precise idea of how far and in what ways it may be true. What particular elements in food arc important and, perhaps more importantly, what conscious changes in diet might be acceptable and beneficial in actually reducing the incidence of cancer? Scientists, in association with government agencies, the food industry and a number of pressure groups, have been working on this problem for decades. It is one of the most difficult areas within which to unravel fact from speculation and it is beset by great difficulty in performing the necessary studies. Suspecting that food can be an important element in cancer cause is one thing; proving it is another; pinpointing elements in the diet that are guilty and can be eliminated from it by realistic and acceptable measures is yet another.
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You are a whole person with a body, a mind, a unique personality, and feelings—who happens to have cancer. I’m afraid that sometimes practitioners who treat people with cancer lose sight of this basic fact. You should expect and demand that attention be paid to all your needs. Practitioners have different reasons for working with people who have cancer. They have in common the fact that they have all chosen to battle for control over a particularly awesome and dreaded disease. They are usually involved in researching new ways of detecting, assessing and treating cancer. Many are actually very frightened of cancer and of dying themselves. Unconsciously they try to deal with their own fear by attempting to control other people’s cancer and other people’s jtives. This means that sometimes their own need to control cancer and extend life prevents them from treating their patients as whole, individual people. Thus, they might press their patients to keep having intensive anti-cancer treatment when there is no real chance of controlling the cancer. They might want to feed a person with a blockage of the bowel intravenously when there is no way of correcting the blockage. They might want to keep a person in hospital having more and more tests when that person would prefer to be home. Such approaches are right and appropriate only if the person involved understands the alternatives and chooses that particular course of action. I stress again—you make the decision. Your practitioner can inform, recommend and advise, but you decide.

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Thai Style Green Papaya Salad

1/2 green papaya

2 cloves garlic

2-3 chillies

10 green beans

1/2 teaspoon apple concentrate

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tomato, diced

1 handful mung beans

1 teaspoon chopped roasted almonds

Begin by peeling the papaya and place in a food processor. Shred the papaya. With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chillies together. Add the beans (diced) and pound very lightly, just to bruise. Add the apple concentrate, shredded papaya, mung beans, lime juice and tomato. Mix all together. Serve sprinkled with chopped or slivered almonds.

Lentil Chicken Breast Salad

1 tomato

1 green capsicum

100 grams chicken breast, poached

3 spring onions

600 grams green lentils (cooked)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon apple juice concentrate

Dice tomato and capsicum. Shred the spring onions and chicken meat. Combine with all remaining ingredients and toss well. Season with salt substitute or another delicious dressing for flavour.

Longevity Salad

1/2 fresh avocado

150 grams goat’s cheese chopped (if desired)

1 carrot

A handful of spinach leaves

Mixed lettuce

Snow pea sprouts

2 zucchinis, chopped

1/2 green or red capsicum, chopped

10 snow peas

5 sun-dried tomatoes, slivered

Chop all ingredients and mix together in a glass bowl. Serve with a garlic dressing.

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You do not have to be completely recovered to be really living or to feel happy.

You do not have to be free of all physical or emotional reminders of your cancer before you can get on with your real life. All of your sensations and experiences are real. Waiting for everything to be back to normal before you see yourself as really living is a waste of precious time. There is no time like the present.

Acceptance is like a wave.

Some of the changes in your life may happen quickly, over seconds, days, weeks, or months. Acceptance of the changes and their consequences, however, takes longer. You can know you have cancer and take all the right steps to treat your cancer for a long time before you totally accept your illness. Acceptance is a complicated process with many levels, something that happens gradually over days, weeks, months, and years. It is like a wave, coming in and out over time, slowly making progress on the reef of denial, in contrast to a light switch, which with one flick illuminates the stark reality.

Pamper yourself.

Reward yourself. You have been through a lot. You deserve it. Doing something special for yourself is not taking advantage of your situation or making cancer therapy more attractive. It validates self-worth and demonstrates freedom.

Knowledge is power.

Knowledge, no matter how devastating, helps you. Knowledge diminishes your anxiety and fear and allows you to be your own best advocate. Having knowledge does not change the facts; it enables you to use them to your advantage.

There is nothing to fear but fear itself.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words provide a powerful handle for cancer survivors. Fear is a normal human response that is good only when it helps you to do the right thing. Unbridled, unproductive fear is debilitating and steals otherwise good-quality life from you. Learn to tame your fears and recapture your life.

Your mind affects your health; it does not control your health.

Use your powerful mind to your advantage. Learn how to harness the self-healing and self-comforting capabilities of your mind. At the same time recognize that ultimate control of your health and your life is out of your hands.

There are always choices.

You cannot always choose your circumstances, but you can always choose how you deal with them. Even when your choices are severely limited, acting on the choices you do have is liberating.

There is always hope

Unexpected reprieves and recoveries occur. There is no such thing as false hope. Find hope and nourish it every day.

Learning how to survive challenges gives you the strength to face them and the confidence that you can get through them.

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What Does It Mean If My Periods Have Stopped?

Periods may become irregular or stop altogether if your cancer or its treatment has affected the delicate balance of hormones that governs the normal menstrual cycle. Many other conditions cause cessation of periods. Notify your doctor if your periods change or stop.

If My Periods Have Stopped, Will They Start Up Again?

Your periods may start up again depending on

•your age when you received cancer treatment

• the type of treatment received

• the dose and duration of treatment

If I Am Not Having Periods, Can I Get Pregnant?

Yes. Although very unlikely, it is still possible that your normal cycle will return. If you are not using contraception, you risk getting pregnant before your first period.

If I Am Having Periods, Can I Assume That I Am Fertile?

No. There are many factors that govern fertility. You can have periods without eggs being released for fertilization.

What If I Am Regaining My Energy More Slowly Than Others Who Were Treated at the Same Time?

Your specific circumstances before, during, and after treatment, as well as your reaction (physical and emotional) to your circumstances are unique, thus making your recovery pattern unique. No one can tell you how you feel or should feel. However you feel is how you feel. Comparing your energy level with that of a survivor who is enjoying a faster or smoother recovery, or with yours before your illness, does not help you (unless it provides hope and inspiration). The issue is how to get you feeling as well as possible now and in the future. Work toward developing a new sense of well-being and good health, as opposed to trying to get back to where you were before cancer. Focus on ways you can improve your energy.

When My Energy Comes Back, Will It Return Suddenly?

Like most everything else about recovery from cancer treatment, the manner in which your energy returns will be very individual. For most people, improvement is gradual. You will begin to have days with more energy, often followed by days with less energy. In general, the trend is toward more and more energy, provided there are no setbacks, such as minor illness, surgery, injury, or emotional stress. Occasionally people report a sudden return to their usual level of energy.

Is There Anything I Can Do to Help My Energy Come Back Faster?

Many measures will help you feel better while your doctors are evaluating and treating the various problems that may be contributing to your fatigue. They may not be high-tech, like chemotherapy or surgery, but they work. Try to

• get adequate rest (when you feel fatigued)

• eat well-balanced meals and snacks, as advised by your doctor or a nutritionist to meet your posttreatment nutritional demands (your protein, fluid, and calorie requirements remain elevated for a while after treatment is completed in order that your body can repair tissue damaged by the treatments and clear the waste from the dead cancer cells)

• avoid excessive physical and emotional stress

•prioritize your activities so that you can maintain an energy-conserving schedule (you may need help to do this)

• continue to delegate tasks to others so that you can continue to conserve your energy for healing

•continue to obtain help, as needed, in such activities as making meals, carpooling, taking out the garbage, and bathing

• begin a doctor-approved exercise program

•address your feelings of anxiety, fear, depression, grief, and anger

•discuss the role of antidepressants in the treatment of your fatigue

•discuss vitamin and nutritional supplementation with your doctor

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What If I Feel That Mу Body Has Failed Me?

In your mind, your body has failed you by allowing you to get cancer. Most of your friends did not get cancer. No matter how many wonderful skills your body demonstrated before, during, or after your cancer, pride in your body can be lost in the reality that your body got cancer.

Has My Body Really Failed Me?

Failure is a subjective conclusion. If you believe that nobody should get cancer, you will probably feel that your body failed you. However, if you realize that cancer has been threatening human life for millennia, you will see cancer as one of the potential threats for all people, along with infections and accidents.

Rather than failing you, your body sustained you despite the threat of cancer and the risks of cancer therapy. Your body overcame a challenge it did not want and for which it did not prepare.

You are surviving. Instead of blaming your body for getting cancer, congratulate it for surviving cancer and its treatment.

Is It Common to Feel like Damaged Goods?

Many cancer survivors feel that they are damaged goods. The so-called damage may be painfully obvious, such as loss of voice, fertility, limb, speech, breast, continence, or sexual function. In other cases the losses are subtle or invisible to the outside observer, such as lost stamina, spontaneity, self-esteem, or confidence in the future.

You may look and feel perfectly normal and yet still see yourself as damaged goods. After all, you have had cancer and could develop it again. The knowledge that some cancer patients have a genetic predisposition to their and other cancers may just reinforce your self-perception of being damaged goods.

Future health risks are not unique to cancer survivors. All people have their risk factors, be it their risk for stroke, heart attack, emphysema, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, or manic-depressive disorder. Cancer survivors can learn to see cancer as just one of the risk factors they need to consider in their health maintenance and preventive medicine measures.

Loss and change, too, are not unique to cancer survivors. Many diseases are accompanied by loss and change. You are no more damaged than someone with a history of heart disease or lupus. Quite often the quality of life and prognosis for someone with heart disease or lupus is worse than for someone with many types of cancer. In our society, still, the word “cancer” carries stronger connotations of suffering and death than the words “heart disease” or “lupus.”

Nobody is perfect. To be normal is to be flawed.

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